Back in the apartment, Kael was still thinking about Siegfried, feeling somewhat distracted.
Sirin, keenly aware of his mood, gently shook his arm while holding it: "Brother, don't worry, I'm here."
Kael snapped back to reality, meeting her comforting golden eyes, and his heart warmed. He ruffled her hair: "Mm, I know."
Just then, Kiana came out of her room. Seeing the two of them so close, especially Kael's hand on Sirin's head, that indescribable sour feeling welled up in her heart again.
She puffed out her cheeks, rushed over in a few steps, squeezed herself between them, and hugged Kael's other arm.
"Hey! You went for a walk without calling me!"
Kiana looked up, her blue eyes filled with dissatisfaction and a hint of grievance, "I want to walk with Kael too!"
Kael was taken aback by her sudden action and hadn't had a chance to speak when Sirin calmly interjected: "Brother was accompanying me. Besides, weren't you conducting your 'important investigation'?"
"The investigation can wait!"
Kiana stuck out her neck and hugged Kael's arm even tighter, as if declaring ownership, "Kael isn't just yours!"
She said this with righteous indignation, but if one listened closely, her tone carried a hint of impatience and... guilt? that even she didn't understand.
She just instinctively felt a blockage in her heart, a deep discomfort, seeing Kael and Sirin so close, and wanted to do something to break that atmosphere, to prove that she... was also important?
Upon hearing this, Sirin's golden eyes narrowed slightly, and the aura around her grew a few degrees colder.
She said nothing, just quietly looked at Kiana, her gaze seeming to say "childish."
Kael, caught in the middle, felt his head begin to throb again.
He tried to move his arm and found Kiana holding on tightly, and while Sirin wasn't using force, she also showed no intention of letting go.
He sighed, feeling like a scratching post being fought over by two kittens.
"Alright, alright, stop it."
Kael said helplessly, trying to ease the atmosphere, "Kiana, if you want to go for a walk, we'll go together next time."
"When is 'next time'?" Kiana pressed on, looking at him eagerly, "Tomorrow? The day after tomorrow?"
"Depends on the situation..."
Kael answered vaguely, feeling somewhat overwhelmed by Kiana's direct questioning.
He suddenly realized that ever since he had shed the heavy burden of being the Asgard's captain, and escaped the endless documents and strategic meetings, the string that had been taut for over a decade in his mind seemed to have truly snapped. His whole being had relaxed, and he was even... developing in a strange direction?
For example, now, he actually found being fought over by two girls a little... helpless?
He shook his head, casting aside this absurd thought, and decided to employ the most direct and effective method—appeasement.
He raised the hand not held by Kiana and gently placed it on Kiana's soft silver hair, ruffling it. His tone carried an indulgence he hadn't noticed himself, and a hint of... abstract teasing: "Alright, Kiana, be good. Don't be like a cat whose dried fish has been stolen. Look, your hair's all puffed up."
His movements were gentle, carrying a sense of comfort. Kiana was momentarily stunned by his touch. Feeling the warm sensation on her head, that inexplicable anxiety and grievance actually, strangely, subsided a little.
Like a cat being stroked, she instinctively rubbed against his palm, yet her mouth still refused to yield: "Who, who's like a cat! This Young Miss is not!"
Despite her words, the grip on Kael's arm unconsciously loosened a bit, and the sulky expression on her face also softened considerably.
Sirin watched from the side, her eyes slightly cold, but she ultimately said nothing more.
She knew that Brother's appeasement of Kiana was more like treating a pouting child, different from how he treated her.
This realization allowed her to barely suppress the displeasure in her heart.
Kael felt relieved seeing Kiana appeased.
This kind of "pat on the head" solution was much simpler than dealing with warship energy allocations or border conflict reports.
He even thought with a touch of gallows humor, it seems his new "snapped string" state was quite effective for these minor situations?
Just then, his personal terminal vibrated slightly, a notification.
He took out the terminal and glanced at it during the lull in the girls' temporary truce.
It was an encrypted message from Bishop Otto, very simple, with only one sentence:
"Siegfried has appeared in Changkong City, target suspected to be K423. Do not engage for now, continue observation. If necessary, use all means to ensure the target's safety."
Attached to the message was a somewhat blurry long-distance photo, precisely the trench-coated man wearing a hat he had seen in the park earlier. The angle was captured well, confirming it was Siegfried without a doubt.
Kael's gaze deepened.
Otto's information was indeed well-informed.
"All means..."
Kael silently chewed on these two words.
He knew Otto's meaning; if necessary, even coercive measures could be taken.
This heightened his concern.
Siegfried's appearance meant the danger level around Kiana was increasing.
And he had to find a balance between ensuring the mission's completion and protecting Kiana.
"Kael? What's wrong?" Kiana noticed Kael staring at the terminal, his expression somewhat grave, and couldn't help but ask.
Sirin also cast an inquiring glance.
Kael quickly reined in his emotions, put away the terminal, and his face once again bore that slightly relaxed, energetic smile: "Nothing, a work notification from the academy. There's equipment maintenance on Monday."
He naturally changed the subject, "Oh right, it's almost noon. What do you want to eat? I'll make it."
"Sweet and sour pork ribs!" Kiana's attention was immediately diverted, and she raised her hand and shouted.
"Too sweet, eating something so greasy in the morning isn't good." Sirin immediately objected, "Brother, I want steamed fish."
"Steamed fish is too bland! I want sweet and sour pork ribs!"
"Steamed fish."
Seeing that the two were about to start a new round of "menu tug-of-war," Kael quickly interrupted: "Alright, stop arguing. I'll make some ribs, steam a fish, and stir-fry some greens. How about that?"
The two exchanged glances, reluctantly reaching a consensus.
Kael looked at them, smiled helplessly, and turned to walk towards the kitchen.
Sunlight streamed through the window onto him, bringing a touch of warmth.
As he tied his apron, he thought, this noisy daily life, though a bit of a headache, compared to the cold gunfire on the battlefield and the solemn atmosphere in the command center, it seemed... not bad?
However, Siegfried's presence and Otto's message were like an invisible shadow, quietly cast over this seemingly peaceful daily life.
He skillfully picked up the kitchen knife and began to prepare the ingredients, but his mind was already calculating how to strengthen the security around the apartment without alarming anyone, and... whether he needed to proactively contact Theresa?
He sliced ginger into shreds, his movements fluid, but his eyes narrowed slightly.
Perhaps it was time to utilize some of his connections and resources as a "former captain."
Hmm, after the string snapped, his thoughts were a bit more scattered.
But it felt pretty good.
He shrugged, put the sliced ginger into a bowl, and began to prepare the sauce for the steamed fish.
At least, he now had the energy to deal with these sudden "troubles."